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Handling Panic Attack While Flying

Discussion in 'Health & Wellness' started by mangaii, Jun 26, 2019.

  1. mangaii

    mangaii Finest Post Winner

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    Every time I think of flying I’m getting panic attacks to the extent I have been avoiding flying for last few years . Should I see a therapist ? I feel like I have no control when the flight is on the sky . I have feelings that I’m going to walk through the exit door and die . Now I’m extremely paranoid of flying . Any inputs will be appreciated on how to overcome this issue ?
     
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  2. daksh

    daksh Silver IL'ite

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    I used to have extreme phobia with escalators. Every time, I have to step on the escalator, my heart would start racing up, start to sweat, and I would be extremely anxious that my legs are going to be stuck while I step on the escalator. People including friends and close ones would make fun of me, though I myself know that I am acting insane, but I was not able to get past the fear, and I would avoid escalators as much as I could. Then I talked with my PCP, she suggested instead of avoiding it, get a supportive person to be with you and face it as much as you could, slowly you will get desensitized after every time nothing bad happens. Believe me or not, it worked, now I am not scared of escalators anymore.

    For you, the first step would be making sure you are not flying alone, always have some one with you. Talking to the therapist will definitely help, they will suggest some classes that can teach you survival and coping skills and give you some sort of simulation with controlled environment, that might help you with desensitization. The extreme would be getting some antianxiety meds while flying, but personally I would not prefer that. Also the therapist can help you to differentiate if it is a true phobia or a reaction to some past bad flying experience and can help you address that. Good luck, with help, you can overcome this. I did, you can too.
     
  3. SKoundinya

    SKoundinya Senior IL'ite

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    hi dear.. do you have history of panic attack for any other situations? did you ever had panic attack while flying before , or is it phobia.. phobia may lead to panic attack. I suggest you to visualization technique where you imagine in your mind that you are boarding and sitting in a plane , and get off safely with no panic attack, that way you train your mind... go to counsellor they will give you tips on how to handle it.
     
  4. Neha2210

    Neha2210 New IL'ite

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    Sit in middle. Don’t look out windowS. Try falling asleep before take off
     
  5. sarvantaryamini

    sarvantaryamini Gold IL'ite

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    Did you have a bad experience in your past? What is the source of your fear? Do you have motion sickness? I am okay with the big flights, but once I flew in a 6 seater plane and I couldn't sit in the front. It felt like flying in a toy plane. I sat in the middle and didn't look outside, focussed on something else other than the sky.

    Btw, I hate roller coasters and heights. I don't like that feeling of being tossed in the air that too at heights. I don't like the speedy water rides as well(spiral tubes). I feel exhausted though others seem to enjoy them. I don't know if it's all mental. Even as I type, when i think of amusement rides, I find my heart racing. I can't slide even in kids slide nowadays. Funny thing, I loved slides as a kid - not the huge ones though ( I once climbed on a 15 foot high slide and then backed out, I think I was 9 years then?). I want to get over that fear, but every visit, at the end of the day, I find it a huge relief to have been done with the whole exercise, I really don't know why. I wonder if it has something to do with my upbringing or it is a body condition, but I don't like them. Even though I know I will be safe at the end of the day, I still cannot enjoy them.
     

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